Service and Greatness part 2

Last Thursday was my final scheduled date of volunteering at St. Margaret of Scotland, and I have to say I’m a bit heartbroken that I have to leave those lighthearted kids.  In the time spent with them, I discovered many aspects of greatness, but a select few stood out to me.

I’m sure that at one point or another we have all heard the saying, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” My experience at St. Margaret proved this saying to be completely accurate. By tutoring the children, they developed a sort of dependability on me. I was the one to help them solve that complex math problem or pronounce that difficult word, not their classmate or teacher- but me. This showed me that greatness comes not only with a sense of responsibility, but also selflessness. A great person needs to recognize how important and influential they are in others’ eyes and then devote themselves wholeheartedly into setting an example for others to follow. The kids at St. Margaret were absolutely fascinated by us “high school” kids; they wanted to know where we went to school, how old we were, what sports they played, what music we liked, what subjects we liked, etc. I could tell they truly looked up to us and we were role models to them. I felt it was my obligation and responsibility to be a good role model to them in every way possible because everything I did influenced them in some sort of way.

I also recognized that a great person needs to be selfless. Yes, there were days I was crunched for time due to overflowing homework and a long soccer practice, but I made time for the kids. I always made time for them because they depended on me, and I was not going to let them down. If that meant sacrificing twitter time, or refraining from watching the next episode of Gossip Girl-then so be it. A great person needs to be able to put aside their own wants and needs, for the needs of others and the common good. Every time I left, a few kids would look at me with sad little puppy eyes and ask if I’d be back. This always left me with such a rewarding feeling-a feeling of value, of purpose. It felt so good knowing that someone depended on me and I was genuinely happy that I could make a person feel that way.

My experience perfectly exhibits that even the littlest actions can make a significant impact. This experience left me with a desire to do more, to continue to help my community. Because being great is not a one and done thing. Being great is not doing one colossal deed then sinking back into normal life. Being great is consistently seeking to push yourself- bettering yourself and those around you. Being great is never resting on your laurels. Being great, is simply, being a better you. You don’t need to be great to millions; you only need to be great to a few because I guarantee that your actions will continually affect more people than you think. Being great doesn’t have to be large scale, as long as it betters someone or something. There are countless ways to bring greatness into your ordinary lives, and change them into extraordinary lives. Stop making excuses. Stop waiting. Make it happen. How will you be great today?